S1 E4: Sweet Kiss Brigadeiro Talks Rapid Scale and Culture in Small Business

Maven Minds: Trailblazers of Modern Business

As Kansas City’s first artisanal brigadeiro shop, owners Jessica Harris and mom Regina, are bringing the heart of Brazilian tradition to the midwest. Similar to chocolate truffles, brigadeiro is soft in texture, luxuriously creamy, and can be crafted with a unique mix of flavor combinations.

Jessica and Regina started Sweet Kiss Brigadeiro on the side of their corporate jobs and have since been able to scale to a storefront with a certified kitchen and have landed features in major publications such as Good Morning America and New York Live.

“I’ve learned one thing - that everybody deserves publicity. You just have to do the work. ” – Jessica Harris, Sweet Kiss Brigaderio

In this episode, Jessica discusses:

• Building a brand that embraces cultural traditions
  
  
• Using PR to scale beyond their local area
  
  
• And expanding their focus on a unique customer experience

Thought starters: How can I apply this thinking to my business?

• Consider what it takes to take something from concept to execution.
  Where in that process are you at with your business today? If you’re in those earliest stages, what is it going to take to get you to that next step? What is your most immediate goal? What is your long-term goal?
  
• What is the role that PR could play in your company?
  How would additional exposure help you? Is your product accessible online? Are there other opportunities that would additionally be beneficial?
  
• What role does culture play in your business?
  Are you telling that cultural story? Is that culture reflected internally as much as it is externally? Does that culture create a niche? Is there differentiation in how your product is conveyed to customers?
  
• What are you doing to market your business?
  Have you taken an audit of your marketing? Do you know how your marketing efforts are performing? Are you making the most efficient marketing decisions? Are you getting a return on your marketing investments? Are you tracking conversions? Are you aware of what it costs to bring in new customers?

Key themes

• Small business ownership
• Public relations
• Cultural experience
• Marketing
• Scale and visibility

For extended show notes, resources, and ways to connect, learn more at: mavenminds.com/season-1-trailblazers

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Podcast Editor and Strategist: @episodeready